On Tuesday, some of the world's leading musicians played a concert at the Salle Pleyel, a concert hall in Paris, France. The concert was part of efforts by the International Labour Organisation to fight a global problem - child labour.
The concert in France was the inauguration of the "call to batons", which is part of the 'Music against Child Labour Initiative, an initiative through which the ILO - in partnership with renowned musicians such as conductors Claudio Abbado, and José-Antonio Abreu, as well as the Mozart Orchestra - aims to exploit the power of music in combating the problem.
The initiative, according to the ILO, calls for orchestras, choirs and musicians of all genres worldwide to dedicate one concert in their planned repertoire, between October 2013 and December 2014, to the struggle against child labour.
"Music - in all its forms- is a universal language. Although we sing in every tongue, it also expresses emotions we cannot say in words. It links us all. Together, the world of music can raise its voice and instruments against child labour," the ILO said in a statement on its website.
The ILO says the term "child labour" is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development.
While noting that not all work done by children should be classified as child labour, it explains, "In its most extreme forms, child labour involves children being enslaved, separated from their families, exposed to serious hazards and illnesses and/or left to fend for themselves on the streets of large cities - often at a very early age."
As part of efforts to tackle the problem, the ILO in 2002 set aside June 12 as the World Day Against Child Labour - for the creation of awareness that would prevent child labour.
Despite this and other efforts, the ILO has expressed concern that global economic problems may affect the campaign.
Already, it says growing concerns over the impact of the economic downturn has seen efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labour slowing down.
According to its Global Report on Child Labour, as of 2008, there were 215 million children engaged in child labour.
While calling for a re-energised global campaign against child labour, the ILO and countries across the world have continued to mark the World Day Against Child Labour. This years' edition, which will be marked across the world with seminars and rallies has the theme, 'No to Child Labour in Domestic Work'.
As part of events to mark the day, the ILO has released a new report entitled, 'Ending child labour in domestic work: Protecting young workers in domestic work from abuse and exploitation'.
The new study, released late on Tuesday provides figures on the number of children involved in domestic work. It also shows how they are often vulnerable to physical, psychological and sexual violence and abusive working conditions.
Apart from the report, the ILO says the day will also witness media events and awareness raising campaigns with cultural performances that will comprise the celebrations for this year's World Day, which will be held in more than fifty countries around the world.
It also says events will involve the participation of governments, employers and workers, other UN organisations and non-governmental organisations.
As part of activities to mark the day in Nigeria, the ILO says at the national level there will be a rally by children against child labour and an advocacy visit to the minister of labour on the need for the ratification of C189 as it concerns child labour.
C189 is the Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189). It is a convention concerning decent work for domestic workers. The convention considered the fact that "domestic work continues to be undervalued and invisible and is mainly carried out by women and girls, many of whom are migrants or members of disadvantaged communities and who are particularly vulnerable to discrimination in respect of conditions of employment and of work, and to other abuses of human rights, among other things.
The recommendations of the convention, which were adopted in Geneva on June 16, 2011 at the 100th ILC session, and are expected to enter into force on September 5, 2013, include that member countries should take measures to ensure the effective promotion and protection of the human rights of all domestic workers, as set out in the Convention. This includes setting a minimum age for domestic workers consistent with the provisions of the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138), and taking measures to ensure that work performed by domestic workers, who are under the age of 18 and above the minimum age of employment does not deprive them of compulsory education, or interfere with opportunities to participate in further education or vocational training.
ILO members are also required to take measures to ensure, among other things, that domestic workers enjoy effective protection against all forms of abuse, harassment and violence.
At the state level, the ILO says advocacy visits should be paid to the state governors, heads of service and chief judges on the elimination of child labour, among other events such as seminars and essay competitions depicting the challenges of child labour in domestic work.
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